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Rain on June 1? Believe it! The Phoenix area experienced some unexpected rain Sunday – and not just a sprinkle. According to the National Weather Service, just over 0.3 inch fell at Sky Harbor Airport (with some areas seeing much more), breaking the previous daily record of 0.2 inches set way back in 1914. That’s 111 years ago!
How much rain did you get? Check out real-time rainfall totals near you! Visit the Maricopa County Flood Control Rainfall Map then click on the 3-day or 7-day view to see how much rain fell in your neighborhood.
Of course, in true Arizona fashion, the cool and cloudy break won’t last long. Temps will climb back into the mid to upper 90s, and by the weekend, we’ll be right back to 100-105°F – our typical June weather.
Even with the rain, don’t skip your irrigation schedule change. In June your plants will typically need deep, thorough watering to stay healthy – especially as the heat builds back up.
🍊 Citrus trees dropping fruit? Totally normal! This natural thinning process helps the tree focus its energy on the best of the bunch. Learn more below.
Monsoon Season is Coming: Since 2008, the National Weather Service has officially defined Arizona’s monsoon season as June 15 to September 30. Before that, it was triggered by three consecutive days with average dew points of 55°F or higher.
Curious about what makes monsoon season so unique? Learn more about haboobs, downbursts, and gustnadoes at this fascinating ASU site. The key takeaway? Be prepared! Monsoon season can bring strong winds, dust storms, and unexpected power outages – and with any luck, some much-needed rain.
Recommendations below are for plants that are established in the landscape (in the ground about two years).
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- Desert Adapted - once every 14 days
- High Water Use - once every 7 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 16 days
- High Water Use - once every 8 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 12 days
- High Water Use - once every 5 days
Cacti and succulent watering
Annuals & vegetable watering
Wildflower watering
- spring wildflowers die out, go to seed and may be pulled
Note: These recommendations are a general guideline only and may need to be modified for your specific site conditions.
Landscape Watering by the Numbers Don’t forget our online, interactive watering guide. If you input some simple information about your landscape irrigation system, it will tell you how long to water to give your plants just the right amount with these frequencies.
Learn How to Lessen Your Water Bill with this Lesson
 Your Water. Your Impact. Know, Compare, Save. Do you know how your household water use stacks up against what it should be? By checking your water bill and comparing it to your expected usage, you can take real control of your water usage.
KNOW: Log onto My Utility Portal to view your water use (or look at your paper bills). Jot down your water use for each month of the year.
COMPARE: Our easy-to-use Water Use Calculator estimates how much water your household should be using based on key factors like the number of occupants, your landscape, and more. On the results page, you can enter your monthly usage. If your actual use is higher than the estimate, don’t worry – we’ve got simple tips and smart ideas to help you reduce water waste, conserve more, and lower your utility bills.
🎁Bonus: After you calculate your results, you can even request a FREE water-saving kit – mailed straight to your home! Just look for the link at the bottom of your Water Calculator Results page.
SAVE: Ready to take action? Our special Your water. Your impact. page gives you all the steps and links to this very cool water conservation tool. Make a difference. Save water. Save money.
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Residential Grass-to-Xeriscape Incentives up to $2,100!
Are you ready to swap your grass for a water-friendly desert landscape? We're here to help! Not only do we provide great resources on how to do so (like recommendations for plants), but we also now offer a lot more moola – up to $2,100 when you qualify for future projects.
Grass-to-Xeriscape Incentives up to $70,000+ for HOAs and Commercial Customers!
 Thanks to recent grant funding, Mesa has increased its Grass-to-Xeriscape and Landscape Irrigation Incentives for HOAs, apartments, businesses, churches and nonprofits. Eligible properties can now qualify for up to $70,000 to assist with grass removal and/or get additional funds for irrigation upgrades.
Tue., July 15, Noon to 1 p.m. If you could not attend the in-person SRP Water Conservation Expo in March, you can join them virtually. Receive major discounts on water conservation products and learn about SRP’s role in water stewardship.
- Purchase a smart irrigation controller (limit 1) for $60 plus tax, spray heads (limit 20) for $2 and nozzles (limit 20) for $.50.
- Learn water conservation tips.
- Explore a range of topics from canal history to surface water management.
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Free Trees Available for Fall Tree Planting
June 28, July 24, or Aug 23. SRP customers can attend a webinar this summer to qualify for two free trees in the fall. Registration now open.
Are you a Mesa Electric customer? Our next workshop will be held Oct. 4. Registration details to come.
Desert-adapted shade trees can lower your cooling costs and improve air quality without using a lot of water.
If you plant a tree, record your tree and get it on our tree planting map at our Trees Are Cool page.
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Lawn Watering: No More Than Twice a Week is Needed Even In Summer.
If you're watering every day, you're watering too much!
How Much: Our watering recommendations are based on science from the University of Arizona. It is healthier for grass if you apply .75 inch (3/4 inch) of water each time you irrigate to wet the root zone to a depth of about 8 inches. This encourages roots to go deeper into the soil where they are better protected from hot, dry winds.
How Often: With this amount of water, your grass will only need watering once every 3 days in the hottest part of summer, and less often as temperatures cool heading into fall.
How do you know if you're applying 3/4" of water? I thought you'd never ask! See pages 7 & 8 of our watering guide. Once you’ve got that set, the only thing you’ll need to adjust throughout the year is how often you water – not how long.
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Citrus June Drop... It's Normal
As mentioned above, this is a normal occurrence this time of year and is a natural thinning process. Learn about this and see other great pics in a U of A publication, Diagnosing Home Citrus Problems. If your leaves look healthy, the fruit drop is not likely caused by lack of water.
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Great Water-Saving Ideas Are 'Wading' at your Fingertips…
We've handpicked some favorite blogs from Water – Use It Wisely:
Mesa Student is One of Three Sticker Stars!
Saya M. from Franklin Accelerated Academy – East (located in Mesa) made a splash as one of three winners in the Water – Use It Wisely "Save Water with Wayne Drop" Sticker Contest! With over 500 entries submitted, her design rose to the top. Way to go, Saya – and thank you for using your creativity to help spread the word about water conservation! 💧👏
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Video of the Month: From AZ Plant Lady
 Landscape Watering in the Real World. Are you challenged to water more efficiently because your irrigation system is set up to water trees, shrubs, and groundcovers all on the same valve? Listen to the AZ Plant Lady for ideas on how to make adjustments without having to use a pickaxe and dig a new trench. View Here.
**Reduce your landscape water use 30 to 50 percent by adjusting your irrigation each season.** Landscape Watering by the Numbers: A Guide for the Arizona Desert will help you determine how much water to apply and how long to run your system. Visit the interactive website or request a free copy of the booklet.
-H2O-
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